Song for Carin
This song came to me just before the passing of my dear friend Linda’s mother, Carin, in 2018. Another song that I felt needed more work at the time and then the years passed by and the song was almost was forgotten. I listened to the this song again after returning from the Advanced Space Holders Training Retreat in Cadiz with Rita Hraiz a couple of weeks ago. I felt Carin’s presence so strongly during my time in Spain that I wanted to honour her beautiful soul and all the inspiration and love that poured out from her to so many people. I was so blessed to have known this incredible woman and her beautiful family.
Thank you also to Christina Rosseti who’s poetic words also are present in this song (a verse from ‘Who Has Seen The Wind?’). I was originally going to call the song ‘Trees Bow Down Their Heads’ though since returning from such a powerful retreat I feel strongly to honour Carin’s light and strength and her beautiful book that weaves into the song: Karma, Dharma and Butterflies.
This is the original recording I made in 2018
Thank you Carin for your profound wisdom and love.
Love is what matters
Beautiful words shared by Carin’s daughter Tullan when she passed in 2018.
"Mamma said to me many times that it is not what you do but how you do it that matters, her focus was not on her many achievements in the world (in addition to being the most wonderful mother and grandmother, as a dedicated meditator and observer of the mind, therapist, writer of many books, teacher of many things - from meditation to physical education, yoga to cooking, dance to dreams, creator of one of the first and most special holistic health centers in Sweden in the 1980's, writer of a groundbreaking psychology dissertation on gender at the University of Stockholm in the early 1960's, adventurous traveller around the world and into the mind and soul) but on how to be more present, more generous, more loving. She created a community around her and she made us feel loved and at home in the world wherever we were.
Mamma said when I asked her what really matters in this life, on what turned out to be her last morning before passing over, that Love is what matters, to share and express it, we are all in this together.
Mamma is our light and love and below are some of her favorite texts that we read together over the last period (and part of the service per her wishes) -
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. It does not envy.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.
But the greatest of these is love.
(St. Paul to the Corinthians):
L'Amor che move il sole e le altre stelle.
The Love that moves the sun and the other stars.
- La Divina Commedia, Dante Alighieri
The Ten Paramis
Generosity
Virtue
Renunciation
Wisdom
Energy
Patience
Truthfulness
Determination
Lovingkindness
Equanimity
Metta phrases Mamma Carin found solace in-
May I/she be happy,
May I/she be healthy and strong,
May I/she be safe and protected,
May I/she live with ease and wellbeing."
🕊☀️🕊
Thank you to Carin Holmqvist and her daughters Malin, Tullan and Linda. Also to Carolyn Baron who walked beside Carin for many years.
Thank you again to Rita Hraiz for an incredible Advanced Space Holders Training Retreat in Cadiz, Spain and Stephanie Canavesio for your strength of gentle stillness and presence re-connected me to Carin’s spirit. And dear Davina MacKail for holding space with powerful prayers for the Despacho Ceremony. And ALL the amazing spaceholders that contributed beautifully in so many ways.
Thank you to the birds singing at San Francesco Convent, Fiesole, Tuscany. Florence.
Special thanks to Ari Malmberg, Neil Brown, Pete Sutton, Rachel Elnaugh, Bella Thomas, Kya Paris and Tom Evans for your continued support on Patreon.
And thank you to all my family and friends that continue to inspire and support my creative journey.
Muerte es Vida
Reminded of this beautiful film MUERTE ES VIDA 2017 by Ali Alvarez
“A meditation on death as a part of nature. The film captures a bold and colourful look at Mexico both the natural world and the vibrant culture creating an atmospheric exploration of the relationship between the mystical journey of the Monarch butterfly, the deaths of individual people and the celebration of the Day of the Dead.
